More than just the players on the ice perform during a hockey game. In fact, there are a whole bunch of aspects that go into a live professional sports event; more than just the players. Although, the players are the main attraction. Or, at least, they are in the eyes of a majority of the crowd. Now and again a story, or stories, pop up that while they don’t detract from the game, they do spin off into their tale.
Saturday night, October 19, 2024, the New Jersey Devils played host to Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals for the first time this season. Everybody knows that this season might be the one in which Ovechkin does the unthinkable and breaks Wayne Gretzky’s all-time career goals record. And while the end result of the game was a Capitals 6-5 overtime victory, there were a few other stories in play as well.
One was New Jersey’s Brenden Dillon playing in his 900th NHL game. Another was Devils Captain Nico Hischier scoring the two fastest goals in franchise history; potting them just 10 seconds apart. Another was that a 23-year-old girl continued to make her mark in the music industry as she sang The National Anthem at yet another professional sports venue.
Ali Berke, 23, soon-to-be-24, is a Long Island, New York, native and she has made it her mission to sing The Star Spangled Banner at all 30 MLB ballparks. If and when she succeeds, she will make history as the first person and first female to ever accomplish such a feat. Now, this obviously takes time and isn’t something she can do overnight. She has to go one by one. On Saturday night, Berke participated in a parallel quest as she entered the realm of hockey and performed The National Anthem at Prudential Center prior to the Devils and Capitals dropping the puck.
It’s not often we get such a wholesome story like this to report on, so, while we normally recount and analyze how the end result of the Devils’ game came about, tonight, we decided to catch up with Berke to discuss her goals and her burgeoning singing career.
“I am really trying to do every Major League Baseball stadium,” Berke began. “But I have gotten the opportunity to do the New York Liberty at Barclays Center and the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. This is super cool. I’ve honestly just been blessed to get these opportunities. I love all the sports. I think hockey’s definitely my favorite out of all of them. I’ve never passed up an opportunity, so it’s kind of a bonus thing, but I am really excited to be here (at Prudential Center).”
All 30 MLB ballparks are her goal, but nights like this one, when she ventures into a new sport and arena, are all a way to help grow her brand. The goal is in sight, even if it will still take a couple more years.
“I’m just enjoying the ride where I’m at right now,” Berke explained. “Being able to do all 30 Major League Baseball stadiums is probably gonna take me a few seasons. I’m gonna say probably at least two more. I’m using this as a stepping stone to focus on my main music career, to promote my own music as well, and to get my name out there.”
Berke may be enjoying the ride for now but we want to know why she’s taking this ride at all and when it started.
“In 2023, I had the opportunity to sing for the Red Sox at Fenway Park,” Berke recounted. “It was super fun and a super cool opportunity. Me and my dad were kind of just talking and being like, ‘I wonder if anybody’s ever done this for every Major League Baseball stadium.’ When we looked into that, we saw that there was no singular person who had ever completed the goal. I think there was one group who did it, in like one season, which is crazy to think about. But no woman or singular person has ever done it. So I wanted to be the first.”
Berke started singing professionally at just 13-years-old and she’ll be 24 next week. So, to see how far she’s come is nothing short of stupendous. Of course, she also needed some luck and the right opportunities to make this all happen.
“Growing up, I had some really cool opportunities to sing for the Mets, Phillies and some other Minor League teams,” the 23-year-old singer regaled. “Those were all really fun and then we kinda just threw some feelers out there to audition to do The Anthem and then Fenway (Park) accepted me. It’s kind of just been that way ever since.”
For those wondering if the long-ago Mets and Phillies performances count towards her current goal, Berke was not yet decided but was leaning towards a yes. “I think I am gonna count them. But I’m not opposed to going back.”
“I did eight stadiums just this summer, so it was quite a lot,” the Oceanside, Long Island resident continued. “I’m definitely not opposed to doing a bunch again, but I think within the next two to three seasons would be a realistic goal (to finish off all 30 MLB ballparks).”
Anytime you set out to accomplish a fairly large task, you hardly ever complete it alone. You need those closest to you to be supportive of whatever your goal(s) may be. And Berke has that in spades.
“Everybody’s super supportive,” she explained. “Being in this position that I’m in and doing it kind of repetitively for all the stadiums and all the teams and stuff, to me it’s kind of like second nature now. But whenever I tell my friends and my family, they think it’s the coolest thing in the world. I’m so thankful and blessed that I get to do this and have all these opportunities and I’m really grateful that I have a lot of people behind me who are really supportive.”
Ali Berke truly has a terrific support system and it’s evident in how she is able to approach and handle performing in front of tens of thousands of people.
“I’ve kind of built up a lot of confidence over the years,” The 23-year-old explained. “When I first started singing, I was really shy. I was very reserved. And then, over the years, I got a lot more comfortable on stage, sharing my music, sharing my story, things like that. My first anthem was nerve-wracking. I always get a little bit of anxiety beforehand just ’cause I’m excited. At Madison Square Garden, I’ve never been more nervous about something in my entire life. My hand was shaking with the microphone. I just try to stay calm and just say (to myself) that it’s just another one on the list.”
If she was nervous at Prudential Center, nobody could tell as she delivered her signature strong performance. Of course, as Berke explained, she doesn’t have just one way to perform The National Anthem. It all depends on how she’s feeling that day.
“The voice and the human body are definitely something that changes every single day,” Berke said. “It’s not like picking up a guitar and playing it the same and it sounds the same. A lot of things affect your voice every single day. So, if I’m very confident that I’ll be able to hold a note longer, then I’ll make sure that I speed up the beginning and hold the end longer. Things like that. I’ll riff. I’ll go in and out. Then, there are some days where I’m not feeling that great and I have to be reserved, just kind of play it safe. But tonight I’m feeling great, gonna hold some notes and gonna make sure I’m under my timestamp. I’m really excited and this is gonna be one of my best yet.”
We’re not sure if she hit her over or the under while singing at Prudential Center, but as long as this isn’t a Super Bowl prop bet we think it’s okay. As we wrapped up our chat with Ali Berke we wanted to know one last thing; what’s next?
“The overall goal is having my music be heard by people,” Berke said. “Everybody has these big dreams and aspirations to be on tour and win a Grammy and things like that, which are all great. I would love to have that happen for me and I’m sure it will. But at the end of the day, I just want my music to reach other people and to help other people the way music has helped me through my life. I’ve gone through so many good times, so many bad times and music was kind of always my outlet and the thing that helped me. Whether it was my favorite artist, a song I was relating to or just writing my own music.
“I’ve been recording professionally since I was 13, so for about 11 years now. There are hundreds of songs in the vault. Some have been released, a lot have not (yet). There’s been lots of performances. It’s a rollercoaster ride. It’s definitely the hardest career to be in. You get a lot of discouragement and you’ll wanna give up on some days, but you just remember that you can’t. I have a lot of music out right now and I just came out with a brand new EP last month called, ‘Do You Hear Me?’ Which is really important to me.”
Important indeed! You can check out Ali Berke’s music on iTunes, Spotify, Apple Music, etc. And next time you’re at a professional sports venue, standing up for The National Anthem, take notice if Berke is the one singing, you might just be witnessing history and the story that goes along with it.
